Robert Helpmann

The Tales of Helpmann

Explores the early life and work of Robert Helpmann. Protege of Pavlova and Fonteyn’s first partner, he had a dazzling career as an actor, choreographer, theatre director and film star.

The Margot Fonteyn Story

Biography of Dame Margot Fonteyn.

Don Quixote of La Mancha

Don Quixote is a middle-aged gentleman from the region of La Mancha in central Spain. Obsessed with the chivalrous ideals touted in books he has read, he decides to take up his lance and sword to defend the helpless and destroy the wicked.

That's Dancing!

A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s 50s and 60s up to the break dance and the music videos from the 80s.

Second Time Lucky

In the beginning the Devil made a bet with God. The Devil backed Eve, God backed Adam. What would have happened to love and sex if Adam hadn't taken the bite?

Puzzle

Franciscus searches for the urn that contains the remains of Buddha but instead finds danger and intrigue.

Patrick

A comatose hospital patient harasses and kills though his powers of telekinesis to claim his private nurse as his own.

The Mango Tree

Jamie Carr is a young man growing up in Bundaberg, Northern Queensland during the closing years of World War I. Jamie, who is in his final year of high school, was brought up by his grandmother. Grandma Carr is known and loved by all in the town, and does her best to help Jamie through the emotional turmoil of adolescence and a society struggling under old traditions and beliefs in a new country.

Don Quixote

A film adaptation of the Ludwig Minkus ballet, completely re-orchestrated and with additional music by John Lanchbery.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

An all-star cast highlights this vibrant musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's immortal tale. One day, plucky young Alice follows a white rabbit down a hole and discovers a world of bizarre characters.

Cinderella

Cinderella is helped to the ball by her fairy godmother in The Royal Ballet's version of the classic fairy tale, using Sergei Prokofiev's music and Frederick Ashton's choreography in a comic ballet.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

A hapless inventor finally finds success with a flying car, which a dictator from a foreign government sets out to take for himself.

The Quiller Memorandum

After two British Secret Intelligence Service agents are murdered at the hands of a cryptic neo-Nazi group known as Phoenix, the suave agent Quiller is sent to Berlin to investigate.

55 Days at Peking

Diplomats, soldiers and other representatives of a dozen nations fend off the siege of the International Compound in Peking during the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. The disparate interests unite for survival despite competing factions, overwhelming odds, delayed relief and tacit support of the Boxers by the Empress of China and her generals.

The Big Money

Petty thief Willie Frith steals a suitcase full of bank notes, only to find out that they have been given all the same serial number. But this is only the start of his troubles, now he has to find a way of changing the notes, so he can impress the barmaid of his local pub.

The Iron Petticoat

Captain Vinka Kovalenko defects from Russia, but not for political reasons. She defects because she feels discriminated against as a woman. Captain Chuck Lockwood gets the order to show her the bright side of capitalism, while she tries to convince him of the superiority of communism. Naturally, they fall in love, but there's still the KGB, which doesn't like the idea of having a defected Russian officer running around in London.

The Tales of Hoffmann

A young poet named Hoffman broods over his failed romances. First, his affair with the beautiful Olympia is shattered when he realizes that she is really a mechanical woman designed by a scientist. Next, he believes that a striking prostitute loves him, only to find out she was hired to fake her affections by the dastardly Dapertutto. Lastly, a magic spell claims the life of his final lover.

The Red Shoes

In this classic drama, Vicky Page is an aspiring ballerina torn between her dedication to dance and her desire to love. While her imperious instructor, Boris Lermontov, urges to her to forget anything but ballet, Vicky begins to fall for the charming young composer Julian Craster. Eventually Vicky, under great emotional stress, must choose to pursue either her art or her romance, a decision that carries serious consequences.

Steps of the Ballet

Robert Helpmann explains, and dancers from the Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells troupes demonstrate, basic steps and movements of the dance as a new ballet is rehearsed and performed.

Caravan

During the last half of the 19th century writer Richard Darrell saves Don Carlos from two robbers, and is entrusted by Don Carlos to take a valuable necklace to Spain. Richard leaves his fiancé, Oriana, and starts the trip. He meets Wycroft, a henchman for Sir Francis Castteldow, an aristocrat out to steal Oriana from Richard. The latter is assaulted, robbed and nearly killed and, as a result, loses his memory. He marries a gypsy girl, Rosal, while Oriana, thinking him dead marries the dastardly Sir Francis. Everybody will meet again. Complications will arise.

Henry V

In the midst of the Hundred Years' War, the young King Henry V of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415.

One of Our Aircraft Is Missing

On its way back from a raid on the city of Stuttgart, Germany, a British bomber is shot down over Nazi-held Holland. Parachuting into Dutch farmlands under cover of darkness, the six-member crew connects with members of the local resistance, who shelter the Brits from their Nazi inquisitors as they make their way towards freedom.